AF&PA reports containerboard production remains high

Containerboard production continued to increase in October. The Washington-based American Forest & Paper Association’s (AF&PA’s) October 2020 Containerboard Monthly report states that total containerboard production for the month increased 3 percent compared with October 2019, and production was up 4 percent for the first 10 months of this year compared with the first 10 months of 2019.

AF&PA’s report states that October production of containerboard for export decreased 13 percent compared with the same month last year, but it was up 15 percent year to date. In October, the containerboard operating rate was at 98.1 percent, up 3.6 percent from October 2019 and up 2.8 percent year to date.

AF&PA says mill inventories of containerboard at the end of October decreased 6,000 tons from the previous month and were up 42,000 tons compared with October 2019.

According to AF&PA’s October 2020 Boxboard Monthly report, total boxboard production in October decreased 2 percent compared with October 2019, and it was down 3 percent in the first 10 months of the year compared with the first 10 months of 2019. AF&PA reports that the boxboard operating rate was 93.6 percent in October, up 0.8 percent from October 2019 and down about 0.6 percent year to date.

Recycled boxboard production in October decreased 5 percent compared with October 2019, and it was down 2 percent for the first 10 months of the year compared with the first 10 months of 2019, according to the data. AF&PA adds that it plans to review boxboard production on a quarterly basis in 2021 with the first report being published April 2021.

AF&PA says its complete reports with detailed tables, charts and historical data can be purchased by contacting Kory Bockman at statistics_publications@afandpa.org or 202-463-4716.